Clothes washing machine



Oct. 6, 1936'. H. B. FAILING CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE 2 sheets-ne@ 1Filed June 14, 1935 Oct. 6, 1936.

H. B. FAILING CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 14,1953 /TTORNEYS Patented Oct. 6, 1936 UNITED STATES 2,056,803 *CLOTHESWASHING MACHINE Homer Bruce Failing, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor ofone-third to Herbert E. Walters and one-third to Willard E. Jaquith,both of Syracuse, N. Y.

Application June 14, 1933, Serial No. 675,723

6 Claims.

kinds of fabric are placed'in separate foraminous or network bags orsimilar flexible containers which, together with a suitable washingiluid, are introduced into the machine andagitated therein untilthoroughly cleansed.

The main object of the present invention is to provide simple andeicient means for effecting an intermittent but progressive angular andaxial movement of the articles through a series of successive containersfor the washing and/or rinsing D nuid or nuids from the inlet of thefirst to che outlet of the last container of the series and in suchmanner as to effect a thorough washing, rinsing and cleansing of thearticles in transit through the series and thus permit a substantiallycontinuous infeed of the soiled articles and outfeed of the cleansedarticles for an indenite period of time without interrupting theoperation of the machine. Y

One of the specific objects is to produce this combined angular. andaxial movement of the articles by means of a rotary screw conveyor orsuccessive co-axial conveyors, and means for oscillating the samethrough different angles or arcs in opposite directions or through equalangles in one direction and lesser angles in the reverse directionwhereby successive cycles'of oscillation will cause one or more completerevo,- lutions of the conveyor.

Another speciilc object is to provide `means whereby the articles to bewashed when fed into the inlet of one container will be automaticallyfed through the entire series of containers and discharged from the lastone of the series in a thoroughly cleansed condition. Y

Other objects and'uses relating to speciiic parts of the machine will bebrought out in the following description.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a clothes washing machine embodyingthe various features of my invention and including, in this instance aseries of four, containers through which the articles to be washed areadapted to be fed, the guide for the operating rack'being shown insection.

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view, partlybroken away, taken on line 2 2, Figure 1. n

Figures 3 and 4 are transverse verticalsetional views taken respectivelyVon lines 3-3 and 4 4; Figure 2.

Figures 5 and 6 are enlarged detail vertical sectional views takenrespectively on lines 5-5 4and 66, Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view taken on line '1 -1, Figure 5.

f Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view representing the differential arcs ofmovement of the screw conveyor about its axis in reverse directions.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a portion of the Vdetached toothedrack for rotating the conveyor screw shaft.

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view similar to Figure 2 showing amodified construction of screw conveyor.`

Figure 'l1 is a vertical sectional View similar to Figure 10 showing afurther modified construction of screw conveyor and one of thecontainers secured thereto.

' The construction shown in Figures 1 to 9 inclusive comprises aplurality of, in this instance four, cylindrical containers l mountedend to end in c'o-axial relation upon opposite ends and intermediatestandards 2, 2', and 3 for receiving a 1 corresponding number of Screwconveyors 4 which are-all mounted upon a rotary shaft 5 for simultaneousrotation therewith.

The opposite ends of each cylinder are supported in semi-circularbearings 6 on the adjacent Standards 2, 2', and 3 which are adapted torest y"upon theV floor on which the washer is installed and are suitably`secured to the adjacent ends of the containers to hold the latter inkfixed relation'thereto. v

Each of the cylindrical containers I is provided with opposite .endwalls 1 and I extending circumferentially, around the shaft 5 forreceiving and'retaining` a Ysuilicient quantity of Water or other liquidfor washing or rinsing purposes, the outer end wall of the rst containerof the series and corresponding end Walls of the other containers beingprovided respectively with inlet openings and 8' for receiving theclothes to be washed and rinsed, the inlet opening 8 in the outer endwall of the rst container of the series 4being preferably arrangedwholly above the shaft '5 lwhile the inlet openings 8' of the remainingcontainers preferably extend entirely around the shaft, as shown moreclearly in Figure It.v

g The opposite end wall of each container l is provided with an outletopening 9 extending entirely around the shaft 5 for permitting thedischarge of; the laundry articles therethrough in .a manner hereinafterdescribed.

introduced by hand or otherwise into the inletl opening 8 of the rstcontainer I of the series; and in order to facilitate this introductionI have l shown by dotted lines in Figure 2 an inclined portion I of asuitable chute having its lower end registered with the bottom of theopening 6 with; sumcient clearance thereabove to 'allowfree en`A tranceof the clothes into the. container.undexgA their own weight.

VIf desired, the peripheral wall of each container" 'I may be dividedlengthwise and horizontallyiinto lower and upper sections I and Ifrespectively in which oase the lower sections I and their re- Y Yspective Ven d wallsfl and 'I will be rigidly -held in the correspondingbearings 6 while each upper section I/f maybe hinged along one iside atII to the corresponding side of the, 1ower v section I and its oppositeside provided with a handoperated locking device I2 cooperating with akeeper I3 for releasably holdingtheupper` section I in'its closedposition andper'mitting it to .beopened when necessary for inspection orrepairs of the interior parts ofthe machine.

The lid sections I mayalso be `provided with relatively-small openingsI4 normally closed by lids I 4 which, whenV opened permits inspection`of the work during the washing process and also permits theintroduction of soap powder or other material which maybe necessarytoexpedite the Washing of the articles.

Each screw conveyor 4 comprises a centralA tubular hub I 5Akeyed orotherwise secured to vthe vshaft 5 and providedwith a helical blade I6having itsY helixes arranged iny uniform axially spacedv relation'andconnected by lengthwise bars II which are arranged in uniformly spacedrelation Ycircumferentially around and in spacedrelation to the hub I5as shown more clearly in 4Figure 2.

The diameters of the screwblades vI6 are substantially .uniform from endto end and somelwhatrless than that of the interior oftheir respectivecontainers I, all of said conveyors being mounted co-axially upon oneandthe same shaft V5 for simultaneous rotation about an axis parallelwith but in a plane below the axis'of the several containers vso as tobring thelower edges rotate about an axis eccentricto the axis ofv theirrespective containers without' frictional engagement withthe bottomsthereof and for this purpose the radii Vof the severalblades I6is'slig'htly f less than that of the interior of vtheir'correspondingcontainers to `'cause the lower edges of the blades I6 Itortravrel inclose proximity to thebottoml wallsof their containers while. thedistance between the remaininggportions ofthe edges of the blades andperipheral walls of the containers Wi11. gradually increase from` bottomto top toV Y aiordample clearance for therlaundry articles as they aremoved.angularlyand'axially -relatively to the axis of the shaft withintheir respective containers.

The inlet ends of the several screw conveyors are provided with pocketsI8 extending around the adjacent portions of the hub I5 and having theirouter ends adj acent the corresponding inlet openings 8 and 8 open andregistering therewith for receiving the laundry articles which may befed throughsaid openings 8 and-8. Y

The pockets I8 are providedy with closed inner end walls I9 formingcontinuations of the adja- -ceht portions of the inlet Vend of thespiral blade I6 but these pockets are preferably provided with radialopenings I6' in one side to permit the laundry-.articles to passtherethrough between the adjacent helixes-'of the spiral blade I6.

` Thesepocketsflfrotate with their respective s crew conveyors Yand arearranged to form a part 0i the first two helixes of the blade I6 sothatf'fw-hen the laundry articles are introduced through the openings 8or 8 they will drop into the adjacent Apockets 4Iliand discharge`through .the radial'openingsI between `the adjacent 4helixes 'of theconveyor blade I6. Then, as the screw conveyor andpockets I8 arerotated,the articles disposed vbetween the .iirst two helixes thereof willVbepicked up by the adjacent cross bar I] andcarried circumferentiallyaround and above the horizontal plane of the shaft5 and allowed to drop,to .the bottom of the container between the .next succeeding pair o flhelixes where the articles are again picked up by the adjacent bars I1,and carried circumierentially around and above the horizontal plane ofthe shaft 5 until they are again allowed tordrop into ythe bottom of thetank into thenext succeeding pair oiy helixes, -this operation v beingvcontinued untilthe articles are finally discharged through the outlet.9of each container. j

TheA outlet end of each container is providedv with arelatively .fixedpocket 2 0 rigidly' secured lthereto and open atthe top to permit therdischarge of the articles from between the last two helixes of .theVscrew conveyor as theyl are carried upwardly, around; andv 'above thehorizontal vplane of the: axis ofrtheishaft .5

' Theinner. endwall 20Iof`1the pocketI 20 extends across the horizontalvplane of the axis of the Vshaft 5xand is preferablyinclined downwardly`and axially :toward theiadjacent inlet 8 so that the articlesswhicharev disposed'in the vpocket 26 will gravitate downwardly and axiallythrough `the opening 8 `and into the'pocket I8 of .the

next succeeding conveyor." .i l

These v operations' upon the ,laundry larticles are repeated througheach succeeding container `I and corresponding conveyor 4 until thearti-V Suitable means is provided of different lengths and in suchmanner as to effect one 4.or Ymorecomplete revolutions of the conveyorsfollowing a predetermined number of cycles of oscillation and for thispurpose one end ofthe shaft 5 ise'xtended throughV and beyond one of itsouter end' be'arings`,'preferably that nearest the inlet end of the lrstcontainer of vthe series, and'is'` provided witha'gear"22"meshing` `foroscillating the shaft 5 and'several conveyors lmounted thereon throughdifferent angles or rather :through arcs with a driving gear 23 which iskeyed orl other'- wise secured to a stub shaft 24 having one-endjournaled in the adjacent standard 2 and its other end journaled in anad itional standard 25, Figures 1,2, 5, ande. f' 'if r l This stubshaftv 24 carries a pair ofrelatively rotatable pinions 26 and 26'meshing respectively with tooth racks 21 and 21o both yoi which latterare rigidly secured toa rack'bar 28 which, in turn, is slidably mountedVav suitable guide groove 29 on the standard 25, as shown more clearlyin Figures 1, 2, 5, `6,' and 9,said rack being yieldingly held againstthef'undersides of their respective pinions by means 'of a leaf springV36.

Any suitable means maybe provided for reciprocating the rackA bar 28along the guide groove 29 for alternately rotating the gears 26 and 26in reverse'directions and thereby to effect corresponding reverserotation of the stub shaft 24 and screw conveyor 4 through the medium ofthe gears 23 and 22, and for this purpose one end of the rack bar 28 isconnected by a link 3| to a rotary eccentric or crank disc 32 which issecured to a rotary driving shaft 33, the latter being mounted upon asuitable bracket 34 or other fixed support, Figure 1 The shaft 33 may bedriven by an electric motor or other suitable power means, 'not shown.

The pinions 26 and 26 are looselymounted'end to end upon the stub shaft24 for relative rotary movement, each pinion being adapted to beconnected to the stub shaft by a one way drive clutch as shown moreclearly in Figures 5 and 6,

The portion of the shaft 24 surrounded by the pinion 26 is provided witha plurality of, in this instance four, peripheral cams 35 adapted to Ybeengaged by aV corresponding number of rollers 36 when the pinion isrotated in the direction. indicated by arrow fr, Figure 6, throughy theforward movement of the rack bar 28 in-thedirection indicated by arrowy' in the same figure. Thatl is, these rollers are interposed betweenthe cam faces 35 and inner periphery of the pinion 26 so that when thepinion is rotated in the opposite direction from that indicated by arrow:l: through the forward movement of the rack bar 28, the rollers 36 willbe moved to the low points of their respective cams, thus releasing thepinion 26 from rocking engagement withthe shaft 24.

The portion of the shaft 24 surrounded by the pinion 26 is provided witha plurality of, in Ythis instance four, peripheral cams 35 which areinclined in a reverse direction from those `shown in Figure 6. Acorresponding number of rollers 36 are interposed between the cams 35and inner periphery of the pinion 26 for locking said pinion to theshaft when thev pinion is rotated in the direction indicated by thearrow m, Figure 5, through the :rearward movement of the rack bar 28 inthe direction indicated by arrow 11., it being understood that when thepinion is rotated in the opposite direction through the reverse'movement of the rack bar 28, the pinion 26' will `be released fromlocking connection with the'shaft It Vwill be noted upon reference toFigures 1, 5, and 6 that the rack bar 28 is shown inits extreme rearwardposition andthat the lrackr21 engaging the pinion 26 is somewhat longerthan the rack 21' engaging the pinion126, the object of which is tocause the rotation ofthe shaft 5 and its screw conveyor through arcs ofAdifferent lengths as the rack bar 28- is reciprocated end- The relationof the pinion 26 and its operating rack bar 21Y isv such that when therack bar 'is moved from its Ynormal forward position rearwardly `thefull length of its stroke, the corresponding pinion will Vbe moved aboutits axis through approximately one half revolution as indicated by thearc a in Figure 8, thereby effecting a corresponding angular movement ofthe stub shaft 24, gears 23 and 22 and screw conveyoras 4. Y

It will be observed that both racks 21 and 21 are mounted upon the samerack bar 28 for simultaneous 'movement in reverse directions under whichconditions the forward movement of the rack bar from its normal positionto effect the angular movement of the screw conveyor through an arc ofapproximately 180 deg., would cause the-rack' bar 21 to rotate itspinion 26' in the same direction and at the same speed as that of 4theshaft 24 and screw conveyor 4, during which movement the rollers 36'willremain incontact with the lowpoints of their respective Vcams'35. f

This angularv movement of the pinion 26 and screw conveyor 4 vWillcontinue until the rack bar 28 reaches the limit of its rearward strokebut at about the time thel rack bar-28 has been moved rearwardlyapproximately half its stroke or substantially half the length of therack 21, the rack 21' will have been moved rearwardly out ofengagementwith its p-inion 26', it being understoodA that the length ofthe rack 21 is approximately one half that of therack 21 and that thepinions 26 and 26 are of the same pitch diameter. Y

As soon as the shorter rack 21' has been moved rearwardly out ofengagement with its pinion 26', the stub shaft 24 and screw conveyorwill con- .tinuetobe rotated through the remaining half "of the'rearwardstroke of the rack bar 21 under Vwhich conditions the pinion 26 will befree to rotate withV the stub shaft through the frictional 'engagementof the balls 36 with the inner periphery of the pinion 26 and cams 35.

Then, as soon as the rack bar 28 reaches the limit of itsrearwardlmovement Yand is returned through the first half of its return stroke,the pinion 26 will be free to rotate aboutthe shaft 24 inthe directionopposite to that indicated by the arrow gv, Figure 6, thus preventingthe reverse :angular movement ofthe screwjconveyor and permitting thelatterto remain at rest until the Yrack 21' re-engages its pinion 26during the last half of the return stroke of the rack bar.

o Under these' latter conditions, the pinion 26 will be :rotated in thedirection indicated by arrow. m, Figure 5, thereby effecting acorresponding angular movement ofthe shaft 24 and screw conveyor 4throughan arcrof approximately l90 deg., asindicated diagrammatically bythe lines b, Figure 8, it being understood that when the pinion 26 isrotated in the directionvindicated by arrow myit will. become locked tothe shaft 24through the'medium of the rollers 36 and' ycams 35', therebyrotating the'gears23 and 22 and effecting a corresponding angularmovementof the screw conveyor 4 in the direction .indicated by arrow o,Figure 5. Y e

During this reverse angular movement of the pinion 26' by its'rack 21the pinion 26 will also 4be rotated in the' same direction opposite tothat `indicated by arrow as, Figure 6, andv at the same speed, due tothe fact that both pinions Y2.6 and '26 are of the same pitch diameter.j After the rack bar 28 has returned to its normal or Vstartingpositions, the Operations of the rack bar28, pinions 26,and' 26` andscrew con- .will cause the screw conveyor to be moved angularly throughdiiferentarcs a and b as indicated diagrammatically in Figure 8.

It will be seen from thisV diagram that the screw conveyor is movedfirst in one direction through an arc of approximately 180 deg., andthen returned through an arc of approximately 90 deg., these operationsbeing repeated as long as may be desired, resulting ina completerevolution of the conveyor after a predetermined number of cycles ofoscillation.

Y Y It will also be observed that after the rack 21 has completed itsforward stroke to eilect the ,angular movement of therconveyor throughan arc 180 deg., it may return through a half stroke without eiiectingthe operation of the conveyor which remains at rest until the return ofthe rack 21 into engagement with its pinion 26 whereupon the `conveyorwill be rotated Yin a reverse direction through an arc of approximately90 deg., until the rack bar returns to its normal starting position. Y

The'construction shown in Figure 10 is quite similar to that shown VinFigures 1 to 4 inclusive except that a supplemental cylinder VMl issecured to the periphery of its spiral blade I6V to' rotate therewithwithin the outer cylindrical container Y I and is preferably foraminousin that its pearranged end to end coaxially'in the mannerV ripheral wallis provided with a multiplicity of relatively small perforations toallow the washing or rinsing iiuid to pass therethrough.

VIn vthe construction shown in Figure 11, the outer stationarycylindrical container I, shown in Figure 10, is omitted and thesupplemental cylinder as 40 is secured to the periphery Vof the spiralbalde I6 in a manner somewhat similar. to

Vthat shown inFigure 10 to rotate with the shaft 5, but is preferablyimperforate for the purpose of retaining alquantity of washingor'rinsing fiuid therein. Y i

yIn each of themodifications shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive and inFigures 10 and 11, the spiral blade Yor screw I6 and connecting bars I'Iare foraminousin that they are provided with a multiplicity offsmallopenings to allow the circulation of the liquid therethrough to and fromthe spaces between the helixes.

It is to be understood, however, that the modi'- fled containers shownin Figures' 10 and 11 will be arranged end to end in sequence in amanner somewhat similar to thatV shown in Figure 1` and that the screwconveyors inthe several ,containersV will be mounted upon a single shaftas 5 to oscilcilate therewith in Vthe vmanner previously explained forthe construction shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive. Y

' Operation Assuming now that the several containers I are shown inFigures 1V and 2, and that each container contains a predeterminedquantity of Y washing or rinsing fluid and that the several screw con-Y'container of the series to be ldischarged in the Ycorrespondingreceiving lchamber orYK pocket I8 which articles, together with thewashing or rinsing fluid. will tend to gravitate toward the bottom ofthe container and between the adjacent helixes ofthe corresponding screwso that when the latter is oscillated through an arc of approximately180 deg., the articles will be carried from the bottom upwardly in thedirection of rotation some distance above the Vhorizontal planej of theshaft 5 and at the same time will be fed successively by and between thehelixes of the screw conveyor until finally discharged from the firstconveyor of the series into the pocket 20 thereof. As the screwscontinue to rotate the articles discharged in the pocket 20 of the firstcontainer will gravitate through the inlet opening 8 into the pocket I8in the inlet end of the next container of the series where the operationupon the articles is repeated.

In like manner, the articles are successively fed from one container tothe other until nally discharged from the outlet pocket 20 of the lastcontainer of the series into a suitable receptacle, not shown. Y

It will now be evident from the foregoingde-Y Y being oscillated backand forth through arcs ex-v tending about the axis of the agitator orconveyor and by being reciprocated axially of the container in' firstone direction and then in the op- 'Y posite direction by the screwactionr of the conveyor blades during the oscillatory Vmovement thereof.Furthermore,.it will be observed that owing to the degree of oscillationof the conveyor or agitator, the cross members I1 will be rapidly movedthereby, in first one direction and then in the opposite direction andwill thus be caused to strike against the clothes from first one sideand then from the other side and to carry the clothes, after coming inengagementtherewith, upwardly along the corresponding side of thecontainer until they drop by their own weight from these members andtumble inwardly and downwardly to the bottom of the container.

Thus, the clothes are vigorously subjected to the action of the washingor cleansing fluid in each container and at the'same time areprogressively moved through the containers fromV the inlet to the outletends thereof and from one container to the nextrowing to the'fact thatthe conveyor in each container is rotated in opposite directions throughunequal radial angles whereby the conveyors are caused to make completesuccessive revolutions. y Y

The number of oscillations of the conveyor or agitator required tocomplete each revolution thereof 1s a factor controlled by varying theangle of difference between each successive oscillatory movement of theconveyor. Therperiod of Vtime the clothes remain in eachcontainerobviously depends upon this latter degree of movement of theconveyor combined with the .speed of operation thereof together with thelength of the con- Y tainer so that if Vthe treatment of the clothes inthe cleansing fiuld in one container requires a more or less period oftime than in other con- Vtainers, this may be readily compensated forsol that there will be no loss of time in any of the washing operationsby providing containers an conveyors of proper lengths.

It will thus be seen that Ihave provided a washing apparatus whereinarticles to be washed `may be continuously Vfed into the inlet end ofthe first container and acted ,upon so that the articles will bethoroughly treated in cachindividual washing compartment andautomatically moved from one cleansing operation to the next and nallybe discharged at the outlet end of the last container in a thoroughlywashed and cleansed condition, thus producing an apparatus adapted toperform what may be termed a continuous washing operation.

What I claim is:

l. In a laundry washing machine, a rotary screw conveyor adapted toreceive laundry articles at one end and to discharge them at its otherend, means for retaining a washing fluid between the helixes of theconveyor blade, and means for rotating the conveyor on its axisalternately in opposite directions through unequal radial angles.

2. In a laundry washing machine, a horizontally disposed cylindricalcontainer for the Washing fluid and articles to be washed, saidcontainer having an inlet opening and an outlet opening for thereception and exit respectively of said articles, and means including aspiral blade mounted in the container for alternately moving saidarticles axially of the container in reverse directions and about theaxis of the container through arcs of different lengths whereby thearticles will be progressively moved through the container and washingiiuid from the inlet opening to said outlet opening.

3. In a laundry machine, a horizontally disposed cylindrical containerfor the Washing fluid and articles to be washed, said container havingan inlet opening and an outlet opening for the reception and exitrespectively of said articles, and means including a spiral blademounted in the container for alternately moving the articles axially ofthe container in reverse directions and about the axis of the containerthrough an arc of approximately one hundred and eighty degrees (180) inone direction and approximately ninety degrees in the opposite directionwhereby the articles will be progressively moved through the containerand washing iluid from the inlet opening to said outlet opening.

4. In a laundry Washing machine, a horizontally disposed rotary screwconveyor adapted to receive laundry articles at one end and to dischargethem at its other end, means for retaining a washing fluid between thehelixes of the conveyor blade, longitudinally extending bars connectingthe helixes of the conveyor, and means for rotating the conveyor on itsaxis alternately in opposite directions through unequal radial angles.

5. In a laundry washing machine, a plurality of coaxial washing fluidcontainers each having an inlet in one end and an outlet in its otherend for the reception and exit respectively of the articles to bewashed, the inlet end of each succeeding container being closelyadjacent the exit end of the preceding container and arranged to receivethe articles therefrom, each container having a rotary screw conveyortherein for feeding the articles from its inlet through its outlet andinto the inlet of the next succeeding container, and means foralternately rotating the conveyors in reverse directions about a commonaxis through arcs of different lengths.

6. In a laundry Washing machine, a horizontally disposed stationarycontainer for the Washing uid, said container having an inlet in one endand an outlet in its other end for the reception and exit respectivelyof the articles to be washed, a foraminous supplemental containerrotatably mounted in the first mentioned container and having an inletand an outlet arranged to register with the inlet and outletrespectively of the first mentioned container for receiving the articlestherein and for discharging them therefrom through said inlets andoutlets, a spiral blade mounted in the supplemental container, and meansfor rotating the supplemental container and blade in unison on theiraxes alternately in opposite directions through unequal radial angles.

HOMER BRUCE FAILING.

